Plautus Pseudolus 5.2

Henry Thomas Riley (Translator)

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Pseudolus. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1912.

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Current edition Perseus

Pseudolus, or The Cheat (English) (Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, Henry Thomas, translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.)

Editions (1)
Pseudolus Perseus (Plautus. Plauti Comoediae, Volume 2. Leo, Friedrich, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1896.) — 5.2 focus

Notes on the current edition

Pseudolus, or The Cheat

1. All the former editions introduced Ballio in this scene, and put in his mouth much of what really belongs to Simo. The astute Ritschel saw the absurdity of this, and has rectified the text accordingly.
2. With a chaplet on: Pseudolus lays some stress on this, as slaves were not permitted to wear chaplets. He, however, presumes on the fact of Simo being in his debt.
3. The Massic hills: The Massic hills were situate in the Falernian district, in the territory of Naples. The Massic or Falernian wine held the second rank among the choice wines of the Romans. It was considered fit for drinking when ten years old, and might be used up to the twentieth year, but when kept anger was considered to be injurious to the nervous system.
4. A winter hour: The Romans divided the light part of the day. into twelve hours; consequently, the hours of the winter days were much shorter than the summer ones.
5. Woe to the conquered: The following was the origin of this expression. When the Romans capitulated to the Gauls under Brennus, a thousand pounds weight of gold were to be their ransom. When it was about to be weighed out, the Gauls brought false weights. On this the Roman officer refused to use them, whereupon Brennus threw his sword into the scale, and exclaimed Vae victis! Woe to the conquered! The expression afterwards became proverbial, as signifying that no mercy was to be expected.
6. Invite you for to-morrow: At the Megalensian games the third day was especially set apart for scenic representations. Probably, as the present Play was acted there, it was on that occasion announced for repetition on the succeeding day. It may not be inapposite here to remark that Cicero, in his Treatise on Old Age, informs us that Plautus entertained a very high opinion of this Play; while Aulus Gellius styles it Comoedia festissima, a most entertaining Comedy. Many of the modern Commentators have pronounced it to be the most meitorious of the Plays of Plautus.